Ukraine war updates: daily briefings as of April 19, 2016

(1) The situation in the war zone in eastern Ukraine remains tense. Russian armed forces opened fire 46 times upon Ukrainian troops positions over the last day; in particular, 11 times on Donetsk direction, 29 times on Mariupol direction and 6 times on Luhansk direction;

(2) Luhansk direction: the enemy violated ceasefire regime all across the frontline from Stanytsya Luhanska to Popasna; Russian forces opened fire upon Ukrainian positions once with the use of heavy arms; to this end, the enemy used small caliber arms during shelling upon Ukrainian positions in Stanytsya Luhanska and Tryokhizbenka;

(3) Donetsk direction: combats between Russian and Ukrainian troops took place in Novgorodske and near Donetsk (on Avdiivka – Krasnogorivka frontline); Russian forces opened fire upon Ukrainian positions near Avdiivka, Krasnogorivka, Novgorodsk and Nevelske with the use of forbidden 120-mm and 82-mm mortars; Russian forces used forbidden heavy arms in Taramchuk and Slavne and small caliber arms in Verkhnyotoretske and Hranitne; to this end, 6 mortars Russian shellings reported on this direction over the last day;

(4) Mariupol direction: The hottest spots reported in Maryinka and Dokuchaevsk suburb; Russian armed forces and proxies released 120 mines and 30 artillery shells upon Ukrainian positions over the last day; the enemy fired with the use of grenades (2 times), mortars (9 times) and APCs (3 times) upon Ukrainian troops yesterday; the enemy used mortar fire as well as receiver artillery against Ukrainian troops near Berezove nad Novotroyitske; the Kremlin occupiers activated shellings at Maryinka, where they used snipers fire, APCs, small arms, grenades and mortars about 15 times; Russian forces opened fire from forbidden heavy arms in Shyrokino;

(6) Ukrainian armed forces returned fire 19 times upon Russian occupiers over the last day;

(7) Despite the facts, reported by the volunteers, official data says there were no lethal casualties among Ukrainian troops over the las t24 hours in the war zone in eastern Ukraine: No Ukrainian servicemen killed in action, but 8 servicemen were wounded in action.